Squeeze more Fruits and Veggies into your Diet
We’re big fruit fans here at Uncle Matt’s and a ‘fruitful’ diet is important for a balanced and healthy lifestyle. It’s equally important to include organic vegetables in your everyday meal planning. In fact, MyPlate encourages you to fill half of your plate with fruits and veggies. For that reason, it’s not surprising that according to the CDC, only about 1 in 10 Americans consume the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables each day.
Incorporating a variety of fruits and vegetables in every meal is important to help your body fight off disease, maintain healthy blood pressure, reach your nutrient intake goals and much more. But don’t fret! Nutrient dense goodness doesn’t have to be a chore. Getting your recommended daily allowances, or even a little more, can be easier than you think with some creativity and a little help from your favorite organic farmers!
Start Fresh.
Breakfast is the perfect time to add in fruits and veggies to give your day a nutrient dense kickstart. You can incorporate fruits and veggies into your breakfast routine! Sure, you can have an 8oz glass of organic orange juice as one of your fruit servings, but if you’re looking to switch things up, here’s a couple ideas for thinking outside your morning glass of OJ:
Blends with Benefits.
It’s smoothie time! Whether you prefer to drink your smoothie from a straw or enjoy the new trend of smoothie bowls, both are excellent options for adding a variety of fruits and veggies into your daily meal plan. You can also use smoothies as way to sneak in extra veggies like spinach, carrots and beets which nicely complement fresh fruit flavors. Check out these ideas:
Orange Power Immunity Smoothie
Uncle Matt’s Green Julius Smoothie
Uncle Matt’s Berry Beet Smoothie
Get Dippin.
Appetizer dips don’t have to come in plastic, processed store-bought containers. You can make your own dipping sauces at home and add fruits and veggies for some bonus nutritional benefits. You’re also not limited to chips for your dips. Try using organic celery, cucumber and carrot sticks as chip alternatives to dip into some of your favorite sauces.
Top it off.
You might think you can only get a good salad at a restaurant, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. As long as you have access to a well-stocked produce department at your local supermarket, you can create beautiful salads with nutrient-packed toppings and dressings. These colorful salads offer a nice assortment of fruits and veggies to fit whatever flavors you’re feeling for the day:
Fuji Pomegranate Salad with Balsamic Citrus Vinaigrette
Satisfy your Sweet Tooth.
Ditch the processed sugars! Fruits provide a lot of natural sweetness, so, when possible, opt for fruity flavors to enhance the flavor of your desserts. This way you can literally have your cake and sneak in some fruits, too. Here’s our sweet suggestions:
Watermelon Cake with Lemonade Whipped Cream
Try something new.
Up for a challenge? If you’re bored with the same old fruits and veggies you always buy (or grow), try picking up a new piece of produce that you don’t usually eat the next time you’re at the grocery store. You might surprise yourself (and your family) with how tasty some different dishes can be. What’s more, your body will love this change of pace and feasting on some different flavors and nutrients. Here’s a couple recipe ideas featuring ingredients you might not have on your weekly shopping list:
Roasted Veggies and Citrus Cheese Stacks
Lemon Garlic Roasted Brussels Sprouts
